Making the Most of Your Second-Choice School

Decision season can be the cruelest.

Going to college is a difficult enough adjustment for anyone, and it can be even tougher if the school you're headed to isn't the one you've been dreaming about all your life. But guess what: That's a super common experience. Acceptance rates to most colleges have been steadily declining for years; according to a study out of UCLA, only about a half of all students now enroll at their first-choice institutions. We've already discussed how to cope with rejection, but now it's time to get some tips on turning your backup into your dream school.

Don't decide that it's over before it begins.

So you didn't get into your number one pick? Their loss! While it may feel like your entire future is dependent upon getting into the perfect college, a rejection letter is not the end of the world. Don't let your disappointment keep you from enjoying what your second choice has to offer.

Most people say that the first three semesters of college (the entire freshman year and the first term of sophomore year) are the period it takes to get settled, so don't jump to a transfer application if you still feel lost a few weeks in. When classes begin, there will be a flurry of events and activities fairs happening: Make sure to check them out and sign up for more clubs than you can count. Also consider signing up for pre-orientation programs (which happen right before actual orientation and allow almost-freshman to participate in everything from camping expeditions to leadership training), so that you'll already know some friendly faces by move-in day.

Reevaluate what you really want.

Many students base their first choice entirely on feeling, that immediate emotional response of "falling in love" with a place. While this is an important aspect of the process, don't allow that initial reaction to cloud your judgment. Review all the schools you've been accepted to and evaluate the unique opportunities that each one offers. Does a school have an amazing study abroad program? Great financial aid packages? Strong Greek life or a service presence in the community? These are factors that you may not have thought about before, but can end up being crucial to your experience.

Find the positive in the negative.

As you reassess your college list, try to take things that you once thought to be drawbacks about certain schools and consider these points in a positive light. A healthy dose of optimism can go a long way in making your backup university seem like, well, way less of a backup. Recent graduate Casey dreamed of attending a big city school, but after not being accepted to her top choices, enrolled at a tiny liberal arts university instead. The minor annoyance of constantly seeing the same people from the small student body every day paled in comparison to the positive benefits such an intimate campus offered her. "Being in a contained environment like that really helped build up my confidence," she says. "I guess it's that 'big fish in a small pond' thing, but I really felt like I stood out for my accomplishments. I don't think I would have had that if I went to a school with 10,000 people in my class."

And remember: Going to your dream school doesn't necessarily guarantee a perfect experience. Stephanie, now a college junior, learned this after being accepted to her top choice. "I was all about this one school," she says. "I applied to a few other places, but I was convinced this was the only one that could make me happy." A rough transition to college life during her freshman year made Stephanie reconsider her reasons for attending: "I couldn't name a real concrete reason why I chose that place over the others. I had pictured something really different." She transferred to a school that was originally her "third or fourth choice" and has found academic success and personal happiness there. "It's funny how things work out, but I love it and I'm proud to be here."

Use your resources!

Hopefully you've taken the opportunity to do follow-up research on the schools you got into, but don't stop with what you can Google. As the fall nears, many universities have receptions in cities across the country where professors, current students, and grads can meet incoming students. It's a great opportunity to hear many different perspectives about what makes the school unique. If you can't wait until summer, reach out to the university's admissions and alumni departments, who will provide you with contacts in your area.

Once you get on campus, be sure to take advantage of the resources all around you. The dean of students, your RA, and your academic advisor all want to know how you are adjusting to school, but you should also check out the offices that interest you. Every campus has cultural houses, religious meeting spaces, and LGBTQ and women's programs in addition to countless other collegiate extracurriculars. Even consider getting involved in the admissions process, as college senior Rachel did during her first year. "It's funny, but I didn't really fall in love with my school until I started volunteering in admissions," she says. After tagging along with her suitemates to a meeting about becoming a tour guide, Rachel became a "greeter," a student who fields questions from prospective students before and after the tours. The experience completely changed her perspective: "Something about seeing this side of it—the enthusiasm everyone who works there had for my school and the nervous excitement of high school kids visiting their dream school for the first time made me so proud to call this campus my home."

Be open to possibilities.

Many people love the idea of a school or a profession so much that they're afraid if their ambitions change. Instead of arriving at school with a predetermined outline for the next four years, allow your mind to wander. View your second-choice school as a chance to rethink your greater plan. Build your course schedule around what interests you. Are you always quoting movies with your friends? Take a film class and see what it's like. Interested in philosophy? Enroll in an introductory course—maybe you'll become the next Simone de Beauvoir.

Don't just sign up for clubs at the activities fair: Actually go to meetings. Read the campus distributions lists and attend at least two events per week. Leave your dorm room open when you're inside so neighbors have the chance to pop in to say hello. And don't be afraid if you end up hating something and want to quit. Just quit!

And if you're entirely certain that your dream school is the only institution that will make you happy? All hope is not lost. Consider attending one year at a school elsewhere and then transferring or taking a gap year and reapplying in a few months. See? Sometimes your second choice gives you the perfect second chance.